| Minutes 26 April 2009 |
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1. Open, welcome to all, especially Susan Pedersen & Ruchira Somaweera.PhD student with Sydney University Tropical Ecology Research Centre. Present: Ted Warren, Jo Vandermark, Heather Boulden, Alan Anderson, Susan Pedersen, Leisa Baldwin, Lesley and Dave Price, Monica Osterkamp-Madsen, Les Huth, Esma Lees, Amando Bonazinga, Negel Weston, Shenagh Gamble 2. Apologies: Penny Wurm, Michael Stott, Denise Goodfellow, Gemina Corpus, Brigitte Wilson. 3. Minutes of meeting 14 March 2009 - approved Jeremy, Alan 4. Business arising from minutes a) Fogg Dam equipment list b) Monsoon forest interpretive signage –n Alan & Strider – in abeyance pending replacement of boardwalk c) Donation boxes – see correspondence d) Wildfowl hunting – new agenda item 5. Correspondence: Out: • 17 Mar, letter to Sarah Harris, Landcare, seeking a 3 month extension of time to evaluate the Aust. Post/Landcare grant. • 17 Mar, letter to Graham Phelps, CEO P&W, seeking a response to our request for donation boxes at Fogg Dam. Also advising that we’re planning another open day in early 2010 and asking for the following to be put on capital works: a toilet on the western side of the causeway; a gas BBQ with tables and seating next to the rotunda and also on the western side of the causeway. It also said we are keen to have the locked gate on the western side unlocked as the area behind used to be such a popular picnic area. • 1 Apr, email to David Fisher asking if he knows about safety requirements for trucks transporting sulphuric acid and asking him to contact Helen Davies from NRETA about the acid spill. • 5 Apr, email to P&W asking for information about educational walks, talks at Fogg Dam so that these can be put on our website. • 7 Apr, email to Birds Australia, asking for advice about successful strategies to stop wildfowl hunting. • 8 Apr, email to the manager, Hemamaps, publisher of Pocket Guide to Top End 2002, asking to include Fogg Dam in the next edition. • 8 Apr, email to Barry Scott, NRETA, forwarding email from Lidia Colasimone, asking him to respond. • 8 Apr, email to Lidia Colasimone, informing her of the large crocodile at Fogg Dam currently limiting walks and advising that her email has been forwarded to Barry Scott for a response. • 13 Apr, email to Prof. Rick Shine seeking his advice about how to advance our vision of a research and education centre at Fogg Dam. • 14 Apr, email to Laurie Levy, seeking advice about successful strategies to cease wildfowl hunting. • 17 Apr, application for NT Environment Grant for funding for 2010 Field Day. • 21 Apr, email to Armando Bonazinga responding to his request. Correspondence In: • 20 Mar, email from member Beryl Rantall attaching letter in Herald Sun (Vic) 13 March from Harley John Stone from Lambells Lagoon NT about shooting, “wake up to pellets landing on the tin roof!” • 24 Mar, email from David Fisher, saying he’s heard that cartage of sulfuric acid through the Fogg Dam and Kakaduareas has increased dramatically – also the likelihood of more spills. • 1 Apr, email from Susan Pedersen suggesting a ‘heritage trail,’ attaching her portfolio. • 1 Apr, letter from Barry Scott, P&W responding to our request to trial a donation box in the visitor precinct of Fogg Dam. Parks can offer an ‘honesty box’ that P&W use for camp fee collections which we may modify. We are to liaise with Mark Fogarty about collection and location of the trial box. • 8 Apr, email from Jen Sutfin of Birds Aust. giving web address for Laurie Levy, www.duck.org.au • 8 Apr, email from Michael Crossland, Sydney Uni, advising that Ruchira Somaweera, a PhD student studying interactions between toads and fresh water crocodiles (at Lake Argyle) will speak at our meeting on 26 April. • 8 Apr, email from Lidia Colasimone of School Sport NT, asking if the Monsoon Forest boardwalk has been completed because they would like to bring 60-80 interstate school sport delegates to Fogg Dam while they are in Darwin. • 11 Apr, email from Susan Pedersen, enclosing draft application form for Heritage Grant. • 14 Apr, letter from Clubs’ Community Grant Scheme, advising our application for a grant was not successful. There were 97 applicants. Advised that we may be eligible for the NT Government’s Community Benefit Fund grant scheme which opens on 1 July: www.nt.gov.au/justice/policycoord/cbf • 21 Apr, email from Armando Bonazinga asking for information about night walks at Fogg Dam. Correspondence accepted: Jeremy, Jo 6. Business arising from correspondence: a) Susan Pedersen reported on the heritage grant she has prepared for FOFD to submit a grant application for Susan to prepare a self-guided tour guide and booklet for a heritage trail based on the HD rice project. She also reported on her project for P&W to renew the Pandanus Knoll signage, which will include history of the area from the indigenous perspective. Agreement to proceed: approved: Leisa/Jo. b) Palmerston and Casuarina Sporting Clubs Community Grant scheme – our application failed to win support. Jeremy discussed with Gerry Wood who was on the evaluation panel. He said reasons included that FOFD had been awarded other grants and the purpose of our application was considered to be a responsibility of government. The letter of rejection included a statement from the member for Fannie Bay, Michael Gunner, that we should apply for an NT Community Benefits Fund grant which would open on 1 July. 7. Revision of Business Plan A revised plan undertaken by Leisa, Monika and Heather was tabled and accepted: Leisa/Jo. 8. Aust. Post/Landcare Grant a) PR - Leisa submitted a story to NT Regional Weekly that was published b) Purchase of equipment and tools – completed c) Signage – Jane reported on the status and showed the designs on her computer. We need to arrange better copies of Ted Kilpatrick’s photos. d) Heather reported an extension of three months to complete the final report had been approved. In that time we need to have P&W approve the signs before printing, complete PR and acquit expenditure. 8. Telstra Shop Darwin and Winnellie Grant After work today, the container is ready to be tied down and a ramp to the entrance to be built. A filing cabinet, bookcase, plastic sheet for weed control and padlocks have been purchased. $988.99 remains to prepare the entrance, repaint the container and prepare the surrounds. Heather and Jeremy are to meet Telstra Shop Darwin and Winnellie staff next week. 9. Finance Bank balance of $6,027.00 of which approx $5,000.00 is grant money to be spent/reimbursed. Reimbursements due are: Telstra Shop grant Japanese Engine Centre (transport of container) $180.00 Aust Post/Landcare grant Territory Rural (rakes, hoes, sprayers, tool box) $376.95 Geminex (ear plugs, safety glasses, masks, gloves) $164.30 Australia Post (postage to Landcare) $1.10 Total $722.35 Payment approved: Leisa/Jo 10. University of Sydney update by Ruchira Somaweera Ruchira’s work concentrates the impact of cane toads on Johnstone River (freshwater) crocodiles, principally in the Kimberly region - Lake Argyle, but he also covers the NT and north Queensland to understand the influence of location. Johnstone River (freshwater) Crocodiles • In the NT the standard clutch is 13 eggs, a hatchling of less than 30 cm length, growing to about 3 metres at 50-60 years of age • Pygmy crocs are also Johnstone River species but only grow to about 1.2 metres length • They live in fresh and brackish water but not the sea (estuarine or saltwater crocs can live in the sea through to fresh water • They have few predators • Can dive for about two hours • Are daytime active mainly from 6.00 am to noon, but can often be seen sitting on the surface at night. Saltwater crocs are not affected by cane toads - they encounter bufo species toads in Asia (as do many of our bird species eg raptors) which are similarly little affected). On top of learning there is some genetic influence. Salties in Sri Lanka and Asia don’t seem to eat cane toads but do eat frogs. Johnstone River crocs, goannas, quols, etc (ie Australian natives) are badly affected by toads. Many freshy carcasses are found where toads are but there are marked differences due to location, ie billabong, lake, fast or slow flowing river. There are no salties at Lake Argyle. The freshies food is being analysed: • In Lake Argyle they eat few fish or amphibians – hard to find so low encounter rate with toads - but in many rivers and billabongs catching fish and amphibians is easy which makes it difficult to generalise • In Mary and Victoria Rivers 70% of the freshies die from eating toads: dry banks, more toads so the encounter rate of crocs and toads is high • While croc numbers drop off initially, they appear to recover as their main predator of young, goannas, are also greatly reduced by toads Around Fogg Dam there are both freshies and salties. The Sydney U team has only seen one dead freshie. Sydney Uni are testing taste aversion to see if crocs and other predators can learn to avoid cane toads. It seems reptiles don’t pass a learned aversion to toads down to the next generation while mammals that look after their young may pass the information on. Thus there remains significant scope for further research. 11. Field Day 2010 Agreed to pursue: Jeremy/Leisa. Proposing date of April or May 2010 with May weather likely to be better. Preliminary application for Environment NT grant submitted. To be advised 8 May if we will should prepare a detailed submission, closing date 22 May. If so will seek support from P&W, CDU, Sydney U, Field Naturalists, Top End Native Plants, Traditional owners, Landcare and seek quotes for a marquee, toilets, minibus, printing, advertising, drinking water, audio/visual equipment, public liability insurance and chairs. 2008 event cost us $506.00: $350.00 for insurance plus $156.00 for gifts to speakers. Printing sponsored by ConocoPhillips. Additional costs covered by P&W and other sponsors. 12. Wildfowl hunting. Emails and phone conversation with Laurie Levy, a well known campaigner against wildfowl hunting. He says the practice has ceased in NSW and SA, that 87% of Victorians oppose it, that the most powerful campaign tactic is by media story and getting the media onside and helping. In Victoria a mobile vet clinic that treats injured birds gets TV coverage. Earlier this year he said Field and Game Australia had been caught syphoning water from the Latrobe River at Sale into a private wetland to attract birds for hunting. He has a website: www.duck.org.au and has provided his phone number and generously offered to take calls 24/7. :Prof Richard Kingsford at University of NSW is another supporter. Heather asked if anyone is interested in being involved in the project. Jane suggested this might be a project for University students and Ted suggested FOFD might lobby government for $25-30,000 to fund the study. 13. Membership renewal It is now time to renew memberships. Fees are $25 single, $30 family, $15 concession/student. Leisa to advise members. 14. Other business – P&W’s schedule for walks and talks has been entered on the FOFD website 15. Next meeting: Sunday 24 May – at Kezia Purick’s office, Colollalinga Issues to be followed up: • Humpty Doo rice trail submission • Environment NT grant submission for 2010 field day • PR, evaluation and acquittal of Landcare/Aust Post grant • Finalisation of Telstra Shop Dwn/Winnellie grant • Wildfowl hunting |